1. Technical Field of Invention
This invention relates to mobile communications for mobile devices and more particularly to such a mobile device with self-blocking control automatically restricting usage during movement beyond a preset threshold.
2. Background of the Invention
Mobile communication devices have enabled subscribing individuals to communicate with voice, text, email, and even video anywhere at any time. While this capability offers many benefits in 2009 the National Traffic Safety Association estimated that at least 25% of the traffic accidents were caused by or involved drivers that were distracted with mobile communication devices. A collection of state laws on distracted driving (6 pages) is referenced and appended. A great number of these resulted in property damage and deaths to innocent people. While no one should be deprived of finding where the closest Starbucks is located it should not be at the cost of an injury, loss of life, or property. Many versions of communication control have been proposed, attempted, and have provided some utility but none are able to meet the demands of current safety requirements on the highways and byways. Driving of automobiles, trucks, busses, and so forth require a variety of tasks that can be repetitive and boring but also may demand immediate alertness, quick reflexes and precision maneuvers with little or no warning.
Many self absorbed but otherwise intelligent individuals are able to deceive themselves that they can “multi-task” and continue to drive while “texting” or conversing on phones. Cognitive brain researchers are rapidly debunking the myth of “multi-tasking”. A Stanford University study contained in the Stanford Report, Aug. 24, 2009; titled, “Media multitaskers pay mental price” studied students that thought they could multi-task; they can't. Of the various proposed solutions to date external regional blocking has been proposed for such as school zones and other restricted zones using global positioning system (GPS) information by the cellular provider. The New York Times on Jan. 11, 2001 published an article on “Taking offensive against cell phones” using localized jamming techniques. One product available on the Internet offers a software module lease application that works only with GPS and location that will stop screen display interaction but still allows audio usage and can be worked around with a simple setup adjustment with no record of disabling the inhibit. These methods have some effect and side effects that have no ability to accommodate safety and may block unintended connections with the centralized design and known signal corruption during transmission. Additionally, operators with knowledge of imposed thresholds may become further distracted by trying to circumvent imposed threshold by traveling just under the known threshold. While some provisions for safety (911 calls) are mentioned in some of the prior efforts the ability to react and override the restriction would at best slow the immediate reaction required and perhaps cost lives.